The Gospel of John contains no true parables according to the Bible Dictionary. Mark doesn't like elaborate, lengthy sermons. Luke has plenty of parables with layers of symbolism, and Matthew won't let you get away without telling you what the symbols mean (see chapter 13 for example). But John is very subtle and deep.
Blood, Water, and Spirit
Three important symbols are intertwined in John--blood, water, and Spirit. You can find these in almost every chapter. And in case you missed it, his First Epistle capsulizes this idea.
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
"And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one" (1 John 5:7-8).
All three, blood, water, and spirit, are present at birth. These elements appear together in John to make a subtle pattern of symbolism. At the end of Jesus' life, these elements appear together again. As the soldiers appear at the cross, they don't have to break His legs to keep Old Testament law. It is written, "His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance" (Deuteronomy 21:23).
"But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water" (John 19:34). Thus, there is blood and water coming from the side of Jesus, and His spirit also has left His body. As these elements come together, the tree, spoken of in Deuteronomy, becomes a tree of life. His sacrifice allows us to have eternal life. Interestingly, the Greek word for side is pleura. In the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint version) the word for rib is also pleura. Out of Adam's side, or rib, came new life in the form of Eve, and out of Jesus' side came immortality and eternal life.
Another passage relates mortal birth with spiritual rebirth:
"That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory" (Moses 6:59).
Born Again
Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, perhaps to avoid persecution and ridicule from his fellow rulers, and he sincerely asks questions with the statement, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God." With that preface, Jesus explains, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:2-3). In the King James Version it kind of sounds like a disconnect. Nicodemus has not asked about birth or spiritual rebirth yet. And what do Jesus' credentials have to do with birth or rebirth anyway?
If we look at the original Greek, the word for again is anothen, meaning "from above." Now it makes sense. If Jesus is a "teacher come from God," He has to be born from above. He has to be born of God.
This parallels a Book of Mormon passage. As Alma and the sons of Mosiah experience a marvelous conversion, Alma declares, "Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters" (Mosiah 27:25).
To be "born again" doesn't mean a second birth. It means to be born of God, becoming His sons and daughters. The rest of John 3 has ample evidence of the concept of being born from above. Verse 27 states, "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." And verse 31 states, "He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all."
Living Water
There is a subtle connection between John chapters 3 and 7. When Nicodemus asks about entering the womb the second time, he is linking it up with the concept of being born from God, or born from above. He knows physical birth, which Jesus has been teaching of, only happens once in mortal life, making this a valid, sincere question. But the Greek word for womb is koilia, and it means the entire cavity of the belly and organs of that area of the body.
In John 7 Jesus is teaching at the temple at the Feast of Tabernacles (see verses 2 and 14). There were two important traditions at the Feast of Tabernacles. One was the illumination of the temple courts with four golden candelabra. Jesus used this backdrop to teach, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12).
The other important tradition was the procession of priests going down to the Pool of Siloam, drawing water therefrom, and pouring the water upon the altar in the temple. Tradition has it, that a river of water would then flow down the steps of the temple. Jesus used this backdrop to teach,
"If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
"(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" (John 7:37-39).
The word for belly here is koilia, the same word used in chapter 3 for womb. But whose belly is it? In English it sounds like the belly of the believer. But the Greek word used normally refers back to the last pronoun, which is me, meaning Christ. Verse 39 says, "This spake he of the Spirit," equating this river of living water flowing out of the womb (or belly) with spiritual rebirth.
We are born "from above," or born of Christ, becoming His sons and daughters. King Benjamin explained,
"And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters" (Mosiah 5:7).
Notice we are "spiritually begotten" as a result of the covenant, and part of that covenant is being born of water, which is baptism. We are buried with Christ in similitude of the grave, and come forth with newness of life (see Romans 6:4).
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